A Mother’s Day Celebration at Home

On Sunday 30th March we’ll be celebrating Mother’s Day.

Wondering what to do for your mum this year? Wanting to spoil her and make her day feel extra special but unsure about where to go?

Well, have you considered celebrating AT HOME? We tend to think eating out/visiting places is the thing to do on Mother’s Day but, actually, to be surrounded by your loved ones on this day is the thing mums desire most!

Are you thinking that’s not enough?!

So, combine your lovely company with some delicious food!

We have 4 amazing (and straightforward) recipes for you to make her day the best ever.

Let’s start with breakfast!

Apricot, blueberry and pistachio breakfast crumble (Great British Chefs):

Healthy, interesting and delicious!

• 12 apricots
• 200g of blueberries
• 1 tsp orange blossom water, optional
• 1 tbsp of honey
• 150g of jumbo oats
• 3 tbsp of chia seeds
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp of olive oil, or rapeseed oil
• 3 tbsp of maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract, or powder
• 2 tbsp of water
• 2 tbsp of pistachio nuts, roughly chopped
• Greek yogurt, to serve

1. Preheat the oven to 170’c/gas mark 3.5.
2. Halve and stone the apricots and arrange (cut side up) in a medium-sized baking dish.
3. Sprinkle over the top 2/3 of the blueberries, drizzle over the honey and, if you’re using it, sprinkle over the orange blossom water.
4. Mix the oats, chia seeds, cinnamon, ginger and salt together.
5. In a small jug whisk together the oil, maple syrup, vanilla and water. Add this to the oat mixture and stir well to combine.
6. Tip this mixture onto the blueberries and apricots and spread it over so that it gently rests on top.
7. Bake for 30-40 minutes until the topping is golden and the fruit is bubbling. Remove and sprinkle over the pistachios and blueberries.
8. Serve with a nice dollop of Greek yogurt.

Potato Fritters (BBC good food):

Great with eggs, avocado or bacon, as brunch perhaps.

• 3 large potatoes, peeled.
• 1 onion.
• 2 eggs lightly beaten.
• 4 tbsp soured cream.
• 3 tbsp. veg oil.
• 1 ripe avocado.
• 4 spring onions trimmed and finely sliced (for sprinkling over at end, if wish).

1. Grate the potatoes and onion, wrap in a tea towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
2. Place in a large bowl and mix in the flour and seasoning.
3. Stir in the egg.
4. Heat a little oil in a frying pan.
5.  Use 2-3 tbsp of mix per fritter and drop into the pan, cooking for 3-4 minutes on each side, using a spatula to turn.
6. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper.
7. Continue cooking the rest of the mixture in small batches, using the oil.
8. Top with soured cream, avocado, fried eggs or whatever you wish.

For lunch or dinner, how about: Greek Chicken Pasta (Jamie Oliver).

A truly delicious pasta dish (if she’s avoiding gluten, just substitute the macaroni for the GF sort).

Serves 8.

• 1kg chicken thighs, skin on, bone in.
• 500g chopped mixed onion, carrot and celery.
• 2 x 400g tin plum tomatoes.
• 600g of dried macaroni.
• 100g halloumi cheese.

1. Brown the chicken all over in a large nonstick casserole pan on high heat with 2 tbsps of olive oil.
2. Remove to a plate.
3. Tip in the frozen mixed veg and soften for 5 minutes.
4. Put the chicken back in with 2 tbps of red wine vinegar and allow it to cook away.
5. Add the tomatoes and pour in 1 tins worth of water.
6. Bring to a boil, then leave on low heat for 1 hour, or until the chicken falls off the bone, stirring occasionally.
7. After that, cook the pasta.
8. Strip all the chicken meat from the bones and shred apart with a fork, returning it to the sauce as you go. Discard the skin and bones.
9. Stir the pasta into the sauce and grate in most of the halloumi.

To serve - drizzle with 1 tbsp of olive oil and sprinkle the remaining halloumi, grated, over the top.

Now we come to a sweet treat, perfect as a pudding or with afternoon tea:

Lemon and English Afternoon Drizzle Cake (Twinings blog)

A simple but perfect cake for Mother’s Day afternoon.

• 225g unsalted butter
• 225g caster sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 lemon zest grated
• 225g self-raising flour
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 100ml of English Afternoon Tea (left to cool)
• 100g icing sugar

1. Preheat oven to 180’c and line a loaf tin with greaseproof paper.
2. Beat the sugar and butter together until pale and creamy.
3. Slowly add the 4 eggs one at a time, mixing throughout.
4. Gently sift in the flour and add the finely grated lemon zest and mix well.
5. Pour the mixture into the loaf tin and bake for around 45-50 minutes.

For the drizzle:

1. Mix the juice of half a lemon with the Afternoon Tea.
2. Stir in the sifted icing sugar until no longer translucent – add more icing sugar if needed.
3. Prick the cake with a skewer and wait until it cools.
4. Pour the drizzle over the top of the cake and let it set.

Enjoy.

On the subject of sweet treats, did you know we have a huge range of luxury gift hampers and gift boxes, ideal for celebrating Mother’s Day?

So if you’re in need of Mothers Day hamper ideas, look no further!

• Our Afternoon Tea hampers are filled with such artisanal delights as hand-baked rich buttery shortbread, stem ginger cookies, rich fruit cake and much more.
• Our Mother’s Day Cream Tea Hamper has everything you need for a traditional afternoon tea at home. Delightful, indulgent and perfect for celebrating the special person in your life.

If your mum is partial to a little chocolate, then we have a range of Chocolate Gift Hampers and Wine and Truffles gifts. After all, aren’t chocolates for Mother’s Day traditional?!

All our luxury gift hampers, and gift boxes have been carefully curated to include food and drink from Britain’s best small and independent producers. Beautifully presented and delivered with your personal message, we deliver our hampers worldwide, so you can celebrate Mother's Day from across the world. UK next day delivery available.